52 replies to this topic

[BSLZackKiesel]

After a 2-10 season in 2011, and a 4-8 season in 2012, what are your expectations for the Maryland football team this season? Personally, I think we have to expect a bowl game from this team barring any major injuries. After great recruiting classes the past 2 years, this year's team projects to have an electrifying offense and a solid defense. Looking at the schedule, I don't see any reason why this Maryland team shouldn't win 6 games.

 

I would see it as a win if they were able to open the season 3-1 heading into ACC play. From there, if you split the ACC schedule in half (after the Clemson game) I could see them going 2-2 in the first half and 3-1 in the second half. That would be an 8-4 record, which would obviously be great. A 6-6 record should not be hard to accomplish this season. So what do you think?

 

To refresh your memory, here's a look at the schedule:

 

8/31 - vs. Florida International

9/07 - vs. Old Dominion

9/14 - at Connecticut

9/21 - vs. West Virginia (M&T Bank Stadium)

 

10/05 - at Florida State

10/12 - vs. Virginia

10/19 - at Wake Forest

10/26 - vs. Clemson

11/09 - vs. Syracuse

11/16 - at Virginia Tech

11/23 - vs. Boston College

11/30 - at North Carolina State

[BSLChrisStoner]

I like the skill position talent, but think the line issues prevent more.

 

7 wins and a lower-tier bowl seem obtainable.

 

Florida International at home should be win a win, but FL International figures to have enough talent on their roster to beat MD. (Plenty of talent go around in FL, Conference USA not horrible... while 3-8 last year, Louisville only beat them by a TD.) Clearly a must win game.

 

ODU stepping up... but a program used to winning (11-2 last year). MD figures to have a size advantage on the line. Another game MD should win, must win, but could lose.

 

@UCONN... I look at that basically as a pick'em game, with an edge to UConn because MD will be on the road. Experience of playing last year helps. Getting the OOC win would be a good sign.

 

You'd love to be 3-0 going into the WVU game, and break through against the Mountaineers here in Baltimore. Even some down Terps teams have competed against WVU, but it seems like forever ago that MD trashed them in the Gator Bowl.

 

Figure to lose at FSU no matter what, but at-least MD has the bye week for extra preparation.

 

UVA at home should be a win, pretty close to a pick'em.

 

You want to surprise, you get the road division win at Wake. I always respect Grobe though.

 

MD has often played well against Clemson. At home, you have a chance. Clemson will be favored with reason however.

 

Syracuse at home should be a win, pretty close to a pick'em.

 

At Virginia Tech is a loss, even with the extra time to prepare. (Hokies do look down a bit though.)

 

Boston College... home division game you need to have.

 

At NCST... could go either way, Wolfpack favored at home.

 

 

Must wins: Florida International, ODU

Should be wins: UVA, Syracuse, Boston College

Could be wins: @UConn, @Wake,  NCST

Expected losses: WVU, FSU, Clemson, VaTech

[mdak06]

Given the schedule, I'm thinking they should get 7 regular-season wins minimum. Best case scenario (most bounces go the Terps' way) is 9 RS wins. I think that the coordinators will have the offense and defense ready to go, and hopefully the special teams kicking will be a bit improved from last year.

 

I more or less agree Chris' analysis above. I do think if they're healthy the Terps have a decent chance against WVU, especially if they're 3-0 heading into that game.

 

The "if they're healthy" bit is critical, of course, especially regarding the QB position. If they'd had CJ Brown healthy all of last year it wouldn't have surprised me if they'd gone to a bowl last year.

[BSLZackKiesel]

Given the schedule, I'm thinking they should get 7 regular-season wins minimum. Best case scenario (most bounces go the Terps' way) is 9 RS wins. I think that the coordinators will have the offense and defense ready to go, and hopefully the special teams kicking will be a bit improved from last year.

 

I more or less agree Chris' analysis above. I do think if they're healthy the Terps have a decent chance against WVU, especially if they're 3-0 heading into that game.

 

The "if they're healthy" bit is critical, of course, especially regarding the QB position. If they'd had CJ Brown healthy all of last year it wouldn't have surprised me if they'd gone to a bowl last year.

I always remind people that this team was 4-2 (2-0 ACC) after the UVA game. That's when all the injuries started, but it gives huge amounts of optimism for this year's team. They're definitely moving in the right direction, and having the same offense and defense in place for 2 seasons is key.

[Oriole85]

When you talk about "major injuries"... you mean like last year? I'm the last one to use that as an excuse but it got a bit insane last year when a linebacker was playing for a BCS school at QB. If they don't get to a bowl game (barring major, major injuries), I wonder if Edsall will retain his job?) It will be a lot easier to switch coaches regardless going into the Big 10 than a typical year.

[BSLMikeLowe]

Without really examining the prospects very closely for the teams on their schedule, I would say a 6-7 win season is reasonable to expect, and pretty much a "must" for Edsall.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Andre Ware going to talk MD on College Football Live / ESPN coming up next.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Ware has MD as his 3rd most likely bounce back team. Says anything less than a bowl would be a disappointment.

I agree with BOB, Edsall needs at least 6 wins.

[You Play to Win the Game]

8/31 - vs. Florida International
9/07 - vs. Old Dominion
9/14 - at Connecticut
9/21 - vs. West Virginia (M&T Bank Stadium)
 
10/05 - at Florida State
10/12 - vs. Virginia
10/19 - at Wake Forest
10/26 - vs. Clemson
11/09 - vs. Syracuse
11/16 - at Virginia Tech
11/23 - vs. Boston College
11/30 - at North Carolina State

 

I hilighted in Green the games I feel confident about the Terps winning... the games they should win. In red are the games they should lose. The other 3 games are up in the air for me. Regarding NC State and WVU, with new QB's in stow, I would think our chances would be better than in years past. 

 

Does anyone have a good handle on the QB situations at WVU and NC State? 

 

So yeah, I think a 6 win season would be my expectation, while upwards of 8 or 9 is possible.

[BSLChrisStoner]

[BSLZackKiesel]

Diggs is a living highlight reel. Everything he does deserves a video.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Season just a couple of weeks away. Have your expectations changed at all?

[BSLMikeLowe]

I won't change my expectations of 6-7 wins until I have had a chance to see them a couple times first. I'm mildly concerned with the depth at RB and WR due to the recent losses of Brown and Leak, and the iffy status of Long. But there's still plenty of talent at those spots, so it's not enough right now for me to back off on what I expected a couple months ago. Still concerned with the OL, particularly since Derwin Gray isn't around to provide depth or perhaps even claim a starting spot. The defensive front-7 has a lot to prove. And based on what I've read so far, the kicking situation has not improved any either.

 

Since I have had the chance to study up more on their opponents this season, I'd say anything from a 3rd to 6th place finish in the Atlantic Division is possible, although I certainly hope they are closer to the former than the latter.

[BSLChrisStoner]

I won't change my expectations of 6-7 wins until I have had a chance to see them a couple times first. I'm mildly concerned with the depth at RB and WR due to the recent losses of Brown and Leak, and the iffy status of Long. But there's still plenty of talent at those spots, so it's not enough right now for me to back off on what I expected a couple months ago. Still concerned with the OL, particularly since Derwin Gray isn't around to provide depth or perhaps even claim a starting spot. The defensive front-7 has a lot to prove. And based on what I've read so far, the kicking situation has not improved any either.

 

Since I have had the chance to study up more on their opponents this season, I'd say anything from a 3rd to 6th place finish in the Atlantic Division is possible, although I certainly hope they are closer to the former than the latter.

 

I have to agree across the board.

 

If you told me that Brown, and the starting lines would stay healthy; I'd be pretty excited. I think the starting talent up and down is pretty good.

 

However, if the lines starting losing guys (as you have to think will happen), it is not hard to see things unraveling. After last year, there are lingering worries about keeping Brown (or whoever else) up at QB.

 

You make great points about the skill position losses of Brown & Leak, with current worries about Long. They have remaining skill talent, but you don't like like losing these guys before a snap is played.

 

Same thing with Gray on the line.

 

You also make a good point with the kicking game. MD can't leave points on the board, and there again seems to be questions there.

[BSLZackKiesel]

I have to agree across the board.

 

If you told me that Brown, and the starting lines would stay healthy; I'd be pretty excited. I think the starting talent up and down is pretty good.

 

However, if the lines starting losing guys (as you have to think will happen), it is not hard to see things unraveling. After last year, there are lingering worries about keeping Brown (or whoever else) up at QB.

 

You make great points about the skill position losses of Brown & Leak, with current worries about Long. They have remaining skill talent, but you don't like like losing these guys before a snap is played.

 

Same thing with Gray on the line.

 

You also make a good point with the kicking game. MD can't leave points on the board, and there again seems to be questions there.

Very good points made across the board.

 

Offensive line depth is very thin, with the only really decent backups being Silvano Altamirano and Evan Mulrooney. 

 

I'm not as worried about the kicking game as most, and there's one big reason for that: Adam Greene. He's a guy that no one is talking about, but could be this team's starting kicker by season's end. Edsall isn't going to fool around with Craddock when he's got a talent like Greene on the roster. 2-star kicker who was given preferred walk-on status due to a lack of scholarships. He's extremely underrated and Craddock needs to watch his back. I also think Craddock could end up as a better punter than a kicker, but that's just speculation.

 

I also wouldn't worry too much about skill position depth. Even with losing Wes Brown and Marcus Leak, there's still a ton of depth. Brandon Ross and Albert Reid have the talent to take 25-30 carries/game if necessary, and Joe Riddle and Jacquille Veii will push for playing time as backups (especially Veii, who could be used in the slot as well). 

 

Behind Diggs, Long, and King you have the two Jacobs brothers, Daniel Adams, and Amba Etta, all of whom could be serviceable 3rd wideouts. 

 

As for the defense, I'm hearing they look even better than last season and that the transition between last year's front-7 and this season's has been seamless. Depth on the D-Line is good, especially with the addition of Zeke Riser. Darius Kilgo will be huge this season at nose tackle, and Keith Bowers, Quinton Jefferson, and Andre Monroe are more than capable defensive ends. 

 

Linebacker will be fun to watch, as Cole Farrand and L.A. Goree team up in the middle, with Abner Logan and Bradley Johnson getting snaps there as well. There's a HUGE competition going on between Matt Robinson (former safety) and Alex Twine for one outside linebacker spot, and either one could be a very good starter. The other outside spot will be taken by Marcus Whitfield, but the two Yannicks (Cudjoe-Virgil and Ngakoue) should get a lot of playing time as well. Expect Ngakoue to take over as starter by the end of the year. Shawn Petty is also doing very well in camp and could see playing time in the middle. And other than Ngakoue, I haven't even mentioned the freshmen at linebacker (Cavon Walker, Jermaine Carter, etc.)

 

Depth on defense is fine, and skill position depth is fine as well. The biggest question mark is the offensive line. If they can get going, this team could put some opposing teams away early with their receivers. 

[BSLMikeLowe]

With the non-conference portion of the schedule complete, and the Terps having started 4-0, I'm curious if anyone's expectations have changed at all?

 

I will admit that mine have changed some for 2 reasons:

 

1) The defense, though they haven't been truly tested yet, is better than I expected.

2) Their ACC opponents (save Clemson and FSU obviously) do not appear to be as strong as I originally thought they might be.

 

My original expectation was 6-7 wins, but if they can avoid any more serious injuries (knock on wood) I think 8-9 is more likely.

[Markus]

Some of the ESPN guys (Holtz and May) were sweating the Terps hard today after the game.  Both seem to think the Terps could win 10.

 

Like BoB above, I think 8-9 is realistic at this point.

[BSLMikeLowe]

Some of the ESPN guys (Holtz and May) were sweating the Terps hard today after the game.  Both seem to think the Terps could win 10.

 

Like BoB above, I think 8-9 is realistic at this point.

 

I'd say 10 is possible (not including whatever bowl game), but I don't want to go there yet. As impressive as today was, West Virginia is a far cry from the offense they were last year. Florida State will be a much better barometer, and I'm not saying the Terps need to win by any means, but I want to see a competitive game. Especially with two weeks to prepare.

[glenn__davis]

I think 4 ACC wins should be expected.  Hoping for more than that, but this team does still have O-line issues that are going to be problematic.

[BSLMikeLowe]

Well, in about 27 minutes, the Terps victory over UConn (and Towson's as well) might look a little more impressive.